LOCATION:

DESCRIPTION:

This
1893, 37 room absolutely glorious mansion was built for the well-to-do John A.
and Margaret Thatcher, who commissioned well-known New York architect Henry Hudson
Holly to create their dream mansion. Naming it Rosemount, after Margaret's favorite
flower, this mansion became the beloved family home for 75 years. This impressive
construction project cost the Thatchers $60,750.00, which was quite a chunk of
change! But if you divide $60,750.00 by the 75 years of family use, the price
of the house works out to be 800 dollars a year in the long run.

The Thatchers
got a lot for their investment. It is no wonder this 24,000 sq. ft. 3 story mansion
is called "Colorado's Crown Jewel," or referred to as a "Castle," for
it showcases the "Grandeur of a bygone era." Rosemount Mansion was built
with Castle Rock, Colorado pink volcanic stone using the Richardsonian Romanesque
style. Inside the mansion, the exquisite woodwork features beautiful oak, cherry,
maple and mahogany, used in various ways, like custom paneling. The impressive
entrance hall is constructed with golden oak wood, and has a coffered ceiling
from which hangs the largest of the mansion's Tiffany chandeliers. The oak staircase
is described as being "dramatic" and connects the floors of the mansion.

Another beautiful, touching work of art is the "exquisite" 9
x 13 foot stained glass window, created by a New York artist, Charles Booth, entitled
"Kingdoms of Nature," as a memorial to two of the Thatchers' 5 children. Lenore
passed away at 13 years in 1890, and Albert died at 3 years old from unknown causes
in 1877, before the mansion was built.

Margaret Thatcher had excellent taste.
She chose all the furniture, wall and window treatments, and all of the 26 Persian,
Turkish and Oriental hand-woven area rugs found throughout the mansion. John and
Margaret collected art from all their travels, including a real Egyptian mummy,
which is currently found in the McClelland Collection of World Curiosities in
Pueblo.

The front and back huge lawn and garden areas provided plenty of
room for a family to play and enjoy each others company.

HISTORY

John Thatcher is an example of achieving the American dream through hard work,
perseverance and making good use of talents and gifts endowed from the Lord. He
moved to Colorado from Pa. as a young man and settled in Denver, working as a
school teacher, a tannery worker, and a clerk until he had saved enough money
to open his own general store in Pueblo in 1863. Two years later his younger brother,
Mahlon joined him in Pueblo. In 1871, John and Mahlon had the funds to open another
ambitious venture, The First National Bank of Pueblo. This was just the first
of many ventures which proved to be very successful for John, who had the good
sense to recognize the economical potential of business projects, knew how to
grow them and reaped the financial benefits.

Margaret Thatcher moved with
her father and stepmother from Wisconsin to Pueblo in 1859. At the age of 16,
she became Pueblo's first public school teacher in 1864. In 1866, Margaret met
the love of her life, John and they fell in love. She and John married when she
was 18 years old. She traded the career of teaching school for motherhood and
helping in John's business efforts as a supportive partner. Margaret and John
had 5 children. Their first, Lenore arrived in 1867. Her sister Lillian followed
in 1870. Little brother John H. JR. made his appearance in 1872. Albert R. popped
out in 1874, but tragically died just three years later. The last of their brood,
Raymond made his appearance 11 years later in 1885, probably a bonus baby but
welcomed with open arms. Tragedy happened again when their eldest, Lenore died
in 1890.

While the Thatcher family enjoyed living life and were prominent
members of the elite class in Pueblo, John and Margaret managed their money well,
raised their children with down to earth values, had big hearts and made many
charitable contributions anonymously.

After Margaret died in 1922, various
members of the Thatcher family lived in Rosemount throughout the years. When the
last of the children, Raymond died in 1968, the Thatcher descendants sold/gave
the mansion and its grounds to a non profit organization, the Rosemount Museum,
which keeps the grounds and mansion in tip top shape through memberships, running
a gift shop and a restaurant, called The Carriage House at Rosemount. The tours
offered to the public are reasonable in price.

So, the visitor can have
lunch at The Carriage House and then take the Rosemount Tour, an attractive package
for organized tours and independent travelers, which brings in money to support
the Rosemount Museum. This is a good business plan that John Thatcher would heartily
approve of.

MANIFESTATIONS:

Unknown
entities still reside in Rosemount. No one knows their identity, but it could
be some of the family members who lived here, their servants or anyone who was
connected to this mansion.

The living report hear footsteps going down
the many hallways of Rosemount when no one alive is in that section of the mansion.
These entities are going about their business at hand.

All over the estate,
there are unexplained noises and the living catch glimpses of movements out of
the corner of their eyes; perhaps of shadows, weird lights, and maybe even apparitions.
The entities don't appear in plain view as full apparitions perhaps because it
would be rude to scare the very people who are helping to keep Rosemount Museum
in fine shape.

STILL HAUNTED?

Yes Indeed, by well-mannered, thoughtful entities who don't want the attention of
the living, and just enjoy residing in the cherished family home. The Thatchers
must have been lovely people to work for. Perhaps some loyal servant isn't going
to let death get in the way of doing her or his job!